Consumer Electronics Show | iRiver’s Comeback Kid

The iRiver Imoled multi-media player and Aplayer, a music device.
iRiver made arguably the strongest design statement at C.E.S. this year. The Korean company, once a serious MP3 player rival to Apple, has recently undergone a rebranding under the aegis of its creative director, Yeongkyu Yoo, who left Nike to reinvent the electronics maker. Everything we saw — the slick, white exhibit enclosure, the light-box display cases, the product packaging and the chic products themselves — bore his mark. The Moment exchanged emails with the designer to get the full back story.

In the past year you have pulled off a massive redesign for iRiver. What was your vision?

I like consumers to have fun with iRiver products and have a visual experience as well. My ideas come from everyday life or travel, and I get most ideas from inspirational trips where I experience new things and come up with new design concepts. I prefer to hide complex technologies so that consumers can enjoy simple, easy-to-use, but sophisticated designs that match consumer lifestyles. I have been most inspired by European products such as Leica cameras, the Audi TT and B&O audio.

How would you describe the new look of iRiver products?

All of the new iRiver products hold complex technology in a sleek package with a fun and extremely user-friendly interface. Just because our functions are advanced and complex, does not mean they need to look “busy” and be difficult to use. Our customers want products that look good, feel good, and fulfill their needs.

What are your three favorite products in the current collection?

Aplayer

A PLAYER

APlayer is a high-end MP3 Player with an FM tuner. I gave it a classy, sophisticated metal finish and a credit card thin design. I was inspired by the metal finish and sleek detail of ST Dupont lighters and the IKEPOD watch.

SPINN

Spinn

It is an MP4 video player that combines the warmth of analog controls with advanced digital content. The seams that are seen in most products were eliminated to create a solid, simple design. The SPINN technology is a cylindrical knob that turns to let the user navigate the content. It operates similar to the crown of a traditional watch.

IMOLED

Imoled

IMOLED is a fantastic combination of digital and analog, with a massive media storage of 160G for DSLR users. I implemented the SPINN system in this model as well, and the wheel and metal finishing on the backside were influenced by the classic designs of a Leica.

How have consumers in Korea reacted to some of your designs?

The customers in Korea expect iRiver’s designs to be fresh and constantly evolving, and iRiver fans are always excited about our new products. We have had over 100,000 people visit the iRiver website each day during C.E.S. The Korean market is very design focused, but design value should be higher than the price that consumers have to pay.

Do you like Apple’s product design? What about Bang & Olufsen? What other brand’s product design do you respect?

I do like Apple design, but I am still crazy about early designs of B&O and Braun (not current designs). The early philosophy of Braun affects my designing a lot.

Is it difficult to make a technical, highly-functional electronic device look stylish? When you look at the design of other electronics, what bothers you?

It is not easy. I try to approach designing with the idea that I am creating an accessory for very stylish people. I feel plating buttons are overused in order to resemble metal, and buttons make devices less chic. I often eliminate buttons to keep products sleek and easy-to-use. And I like minimal buttons that are placed where I feel they fit naturally.

What is your background? Where did you train? Tell us about what you did at Nike and your personal interests.

I worked for Samsung, Motorola, Nike and LG as a Chief Designer, and have also written books about design, “How Things are Made,” and “Material Book,” because I was interested in materials and manufacturing, two crucial factors in producing great designs and products. Also, I exhibited “Less Than Nothing (//www.materialconnexion.com/PF19.asp)” at Material Connection in New York 2006, which shows my design philosophy. At Nike, I designed products that are related to technologies in the Equipment/Timing Group. One of the products that I designed is Nike 300 Vapor, which I co-designed with Max Burton. Personally, I am interested in architecture, I am thinking about designing and building a house for my family.